Starling Bank launches joint account with UK’s first mobile-only application process

Starling Bank, the leading digital bank recently voted Britain’s Best Bank 2018, has launched the UK’s first joint account with a fully mobile-only application process.

Using innovative Google Nearby technology, Starling customers can securely apply for a joint account in just five minutes by sitting next to each other with their phones, eradicating the need for a visit to a bank branch.

Joint account customers will be able to manage their money from the same app as their personal account and track their spending with real time updates attributed to each person.

Customers making an application will tap the “find your other half” prompt within the app and the technology uses a combination of Bluetooth and wifi to find the other device, so they can confirm the connection.

Joint account customers will receive a new Starling Bank card. At the moment this will be the same colour as the personal current account card, but there are plans to introduce a new colour soon.

The new joint account can be set up in minutes without a branch visit – It will be fully owned and shared between two people
Both people will receive notifications for all transactions made on the account
Users will be able to see in the app which transactions the other person makes (and search for them too).

Anne Boden, CEO of Starling Bank, said: “Joint Accounts are notoriously difficult to set up and cancel. However our new technology removes the pain of setting up a joint account by letting our customers do it from the comfort of their own home.

“We are using technology to take the stress and inconvenience out of banking and empower individuals – and now couples – to take control of their finances. Following hot on the heels of the launch of the UK’s first app only business bank business account, our joint account is the next step towards transforming the banking industry for customers.”

The innovation is being launched in recognition that millions of UK citizens benefit from holding joint accounts but are frustrated by the overly onerous process of opening one, requiring at least one visit to a bank branch together – often with the accompanying requirement to fill out lengthy documents.

The account is free to use, and because we know that breaking up is hard to do, we’ve tried to take the pain out of relationship breakups, by making it smooth and easy for joint account customers to close their joint account. If for some reason you have a disagreement with the person you share the card with, you can lock the account quickly by contacting Starling.

You are required to be a Starling customer to set up a joint account, but it takes as little as five minutes to set up a personal account on your phone.